


Once In Another Time

by orphan_account



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Future Fic, Humor, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-01
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-07 05:16:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4250751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once upon a time there was a necromancer who plagued the Enchanted Forest. To help their family, and their realm, three girls, descendants of the heroes of the realm, travel across Fairy Tale Land and through time to stop the shadows from destroying their people. But once they've gone to the past, to when their parents were younger, with any way back starting to disappear, they have to question whether keeping the timeline exactly the same is really in everyone's best interests.</p><p>Season 3B Canon Divergence; introducing Elizabeth Swan-Jones, Melanie Gold, and Merida Hood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Elizabeth Jumps To Her Likely Demise

**Elizabeth Jumps To Her Likely Demise**

 

A blonde girl in a pale teal dress hung from the ceiling rafters, watching the strategy meeting below her convene. Her grandmother, Queen Snow White, and grandfather, King Charming, were leading a war meeting about the latest villain to plague the Enchanted Forest. A necromancer who could summon and control shadows and wraiths. The girl knew all the other members of this meeting. Her mother and father, Princess Emma and Prince Killian. Regina, Robin and Roland of Locksley. Lady Belle, who had acquired the largest library known to man in Avonlea. Rumplestiltskin, the former Dark One, whose knowledge and experience is useful. Will Scarlet, the Knave of Hearts. Ruby, the werewolf, and her elderly grandmother. The seven dwarves. The girl’s elder brothers, Prince Henry and Prince Liam. The blue fairy, Ruel Ghom. Tinkerbelle. And General Mulan.

 

“Rumor has it that the Shadowman originates from a realm heavily involved in culture and magic like african mythology, known to us as voodoo,” Belle was explaining. “His necromancy stems from physical talismans of a soul. The more he has, the more souls he can acquire.”

 

“How do we disable his talismans?” Charming asked.

 

“We can’t, once his talismans are created, the souls are his, even after the talisman is destroyed. Barely anything has been able to withstand the wraiths and shadows. Emma’s light magic is powerful, but they just keep coming back.” Belle said.

 

“There is another option, if we were able to use light magic on the talismans, before their creation, it would enable something akin to a self-destruction protocol,” Rumplestiltskin spoke up.

 

“Again, a way to prevent more from being created, but not a way to destroy the ones already built,” Emma sighed. “How would one perform such a spell?”

 

“The Shadowman uses talismans of the bodies, if a user of light magic would enchant the bodies with a crystal before the Shadowman could get to them, it would work.” Belle said. “But even then, we need to cast the enchantment on every dead body. Every mass grave. Every casket. Every cemetery. And there are thousands in the Enchanted Forest. You would have to enchant everybody in the entire forest and unfortunately, Emma, you couldn't pull that off.”

 

“What about Liam?” Robin asked. “He’s a fine user of magic.”

 

“Thank you,” Liam said. “But magic across the entire realm  is something that requires a curse. Or a lot of light magic. And neither my mother nor I could perform that. And even then, how do we get rid of the previous shadows that he has? Do we just fight them until he dies?”

 

“There is an option,” Regina sighed, “Time travel.”

 

“To when? To where? And how would we even do that spell? The only time-travelling spells I've ever seen involve a baby. And we are not taking somebody’s baby,” Snow said.

 

“I think we should adjourn this meeting, thank you for your help,” David told everyone. They nodded and everyone filed themselves out, and so the girl was hanging alone from the rafters of the war room. Once she was sure the room was empty, she rolled off of the beam she was hugging, and fell on her back towards the ground, but languidly. She corrected herself in mid-air as she slowly descended, getting a vertical position and landing on her feet. She walked out of the room as well and down the hall to her tower.

 

The girl was Elizabeth. She was the middle child and only daughter of Princess Emma, and Prince (and Captain) Killian. And she was magically talented. She was a product of true love, and from a young age, was able to use her magic. Magic is powered by strong emotion, but instead of anger or fear, she used happiness and compassion. That made it easy for her to control. Elizabeth herself was a very happy, compassionate, optimistic and even a little naive. She had no reason not to be, because for most of her life, she was surrounded by peace, goodwill, and loved by her family and friends.

 

She made her way upstairs to her bedroom which was in one of the castle towers. Portraits of possible suitors hung on the way up, none of which interested her, they were all lovely young men, she just wasn’t interested in marriage or even thinking about it at the moment. Her grandparents understood, the priority at the time was for her to find true love. She opened her bedroom door, and walked inside. She jumped when someone spoke to her.

 

“How was the meeting?” Melanie asked.

 

Melanie was the daughter of Belle and Rumplestiltskin, and was Elizabeth’s closest friend.

 

“Your parents discovered a way to stop the shadowman, but we can’t do it,” Elizabeth replied.

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because someone needs to cast a spell on the entire Enchanted Forest, before the Shadowman has a chance to start creating shadow talismans, and to do that, we need time travel.”

 

“What if you don’t cast a spell, you alter one?” Melanie asked. “We already have time travel as a factor. The Dark Curse, if you, at the source, cast an extension of light magic, it would do whatever spell you want.”

 

“So… you think I should go back in time to when the Dark Curse was initiated? How would I even get back in time?”

 

“There are a few very rare relics that exist,” Melanie said. “I know of a magical hourglass.”

 

“That’s good, isn't it? Where is it?”

 

“Not here, and while we may be able to travel there, it’s in a temple in Agrabah.”

 

“Agrabah? That’s not too bad. We sail there, since I don't want to travel through a desert, We go to the temple, get the hourglass, and then come here, and go to a time just a few hours before a dark curse was cast!” Elizabeth exclaimed eagerly. “We can go get Merida, and the three of us can go get the hourglass.”

 

“Maybe we should just tell your grandparents are plan and let someone more… experienced do it?” Melanie suggested.

 

“We can do this, Melanie, you, me and Merida? We’ve been preparing for something like this, we always knew we would end up saving the world from evil sorcerers like our parents do, you and Merida are now adults and I’m almost an adult, now, too! We can do this.”

 

“Fine, if Merida is onboard, we’ll do it, but if she agrees with me, then we talk to the King and Queen.”

 

“Deal,” Elizabeth agreed. “Where is Merida?”

 

“In the Sherwood forest, likely,” Melanie replied.

 

“Grab my arm,” Elizabeth said to Melanie.

 

“You're teleporting?” Melanie asked.

 

“Would you rather ride in a carriage for five hours?” Elizabeth asked, smiling. Melanie sighed and interlocked her arm with Elizabeth’s. In a funnel of white mist, the two vanished.

 

They appeared in a wooded area, they jumped as an arrow whizzed past their heads. Laughing came from behind a tree, it was Merida. “God, your faces!” She chortled, slipping her bow around her shoulder.

 

“Very funny,” Melanie sighed, Elizabeth smiled.

 

“Did you come from the palace?” Merida asked. “You're both in gowns.”

 

“We have a way to stop the Shadowman,” Elizabeth said. “Melanie wants to tell our parents and I think that the three of us can handle it. What do you think?”

 

“I think it'll be fun, and that I need a break from my family. Roland keeps trying to make me babysit his triplets so he can go fight the Shadowman with Dad.”

 

“We can go into the past, to when my grandparents cast the dark curse, and alter it so it enchants all the dead bodies. Then in this time, my mother can use the enchantment to destroy all the talismans that are created of those dead bodies, and destroy the shadows and the wraiths that were created in this time. But we need to go to Agrabah to get an hourglass that can turn back time.” Elizabeth explained.

 

“When should we leave?” Merida asked.

 

“I can't believe you two are planning on doing this,” Melanie sighed.

 

“You don't have to come along, Mel,” Elizabeth told her friend.

 

“And have the two of you die in Agrabah somewhere? God no,” Melanie replied. “We'll leave before dawn, and convene at the royal docks. We can take Elizabeth’s ship to Agrabah, it’s in this realm, luckily. Once there, we have to find the temple, don't worry, I have a map. And find the hourglass.”

 

“How will we get back after the spell is cast? Can the hourglass come with us?” Merida asked.

 

“I think not,” Melanie sighed. “But I’ll think of something. Liz and I need to get back before someone realizes we're missing. We can work more on this plan when we leave tonight.”

 

Merida nodded, I'll go pack a bag, see you two tonight.”

 

Melanie and Elizabeth went back to Elizabeth’s room in a funnel of mist.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

Elizabeth opened her wardrobe, pushed back all the nice dresses that she owned, and grabbed her outfit for adventuring that was tucked near the back. She wore it whenever she went sailing with her family. They tended to do that a lot, her father being a former Navy Lieutenant and pirate, and all. As she pulled on her leather breeches, she wondered how someone spelled “Lieutenant.” L-E-U? L-I-U? She shrugged, she would just ask Melanie. Once her shirt was tucked in and her vest was buttoned, she pulled on her favorite part of her ensemble, a red leather overcoat. It wasn’t oversized and heavy, nor was it too light and skimpy. The red-stained leather fitted her torso, and then became looser at the waist, the hem ending at her mid-thigh. The way the jacket was styled, it was almost like an a-line skirt.

 

The last thing she equipped to herself before climbing out of her window and scaling the tower was her sword. Elizabeth was trained in magic, but she loved sword fighting. What if her magic was disabled? Or what if she was drained magically? But her expertise in swordfighting wasn't inspired by common sense, but by being pissed off at her brother Liam. She remembered fondly when she was five and her brother was almost seven, and he and friends were sword fighting with sticks at the docks. She ran over asking to play with them, and the boys told her she couldn't because she was a girl. She decked the instigator, her brother’s friend, she can't remember his name, and then ran off. Later her mother was disappointed and her dad thought it was hilarious. Her mother told her wise words, “Don't punch unless they punch first.” And her father started teaching her to sword fight the next day. twelve years of training later, and she could duel with sabers, foils, rapiers, falchions, broadswords, longswords and katanas, General Mulan taught her the last one.

 

Once her sword was in its sheath and the sheath was on her belt, she opened her window, crawled onto the ledge, closed the window, and stood, her back against the stone walls of the tower. She took a deep breath and leapt off the tower, swan diving. as she neared the ground, her magic kicked in, she spread her arms, body parallel to the ground, and she flew through the air, just above the castle walls. Once she was out of the castle walls, she landed, and walked to the docks that were just outside the walls. Melanie was already there, leaning against a tree trunk. A brown roughspun cloak hung off her shoulders, underneath it she wore a blue blouse, a black and gold corset, and black breeches. She had a satchel slung over one shoulder.

 

“There you are, Merida should be here soon.”

 

A funnel of dark green smoke erupted six feet from the pair, and Merida appeared. She was also dressed up. A green tunic that reached her knees, brown leather breeches, a chain metal vest, and an arm brace. Her magically refilling quiver and bow were strapped to her back, and she had the hilt of a dagger poking out of her laced boot. Her curly hair was braided back and out of the way.

 

“We ready to go?” Merida asked, walking towards the other two. Elizabeth looked at Melanie and back at Merida, and smiled, “I think so.”

 

The three girls made their way to Elizabeth’s ship. They passed the infamous brown, blue and gold three masted barque, known as the Jolly Roger, and made their way to the ship right beside it. It was a smaller caravel with square sails and three masts, known as a caravela redonda. The name of that specific ship was the Black Swan. The ship itself was painted black, with white sails, and a sculpted swan as the figurehead. Elizabeth, Melanie, and Merida made their way up the gurney plank onto the ship. Elizabeth went straight to the steering wheel. Magically, she pulled up the anchor, and the lowered the rigging, the sails unfurling. The wind picked up and the ship left the harbor. The Black Swan was made of enchanted wood akin to the Jolly Roger, it was smaller though, quicker and better at maneuvering. But it wasn't as heavily armed, nor was it equipped for a large crew. But Elizabeth didn't need a large crew.

 

“Agrabah is a day’s journey by ship.” Elizabeth called. “Sit tight until then. Or get some shut eye in the cabins below deck, if you wish.”

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

Merida and Melanie both rested in the cabins downstairs and had some of the stored food for breakfast. Elizabeth had been at the wheel all morning.

 

“Liz,” Melanie walked over, “We’re good, I can keep an eye on the ship, you should rest and eat.”

 

“Those are autocumulus clouds, that means it may rain soon.” Elizabeth said.

 

“We'll wake you if anything happens,” Melanie says. “I promise.”

 

Elizabeth nodded and went down to the Captain’s cabin. Three hours later, she woke up and resumed her position on the deck. Melanie entertained herself with trying to decode the maps. And Merida was relaxing in the crow’s nest. They were only an hour from Agrabah when the storm that Elizabeth had noticed finally caught up to them. The waves became larger and rain poured onto the deck. The trio was thoroughly soaked. Merida and Melanie hung onto the railings for dear life. But, like most storms on the sea, it quickly passed and they arrived in Agrabah at the docks. A man in a large white turban who had a book and a quill ran up and started speaking Agrabah's native language to them.

 

“Mel?” Elizabeth asked, turning to her.. “You're the smart one.”

 

Melanie sighed, and approached the man, her knowledge of the language was broken, but they seemed to reach an understanding when she handed him a purse full of golden coins. He smiled happily and walked.

 

“What did you say?”

 

“I bought us enough time at this port for the month,” Melanie replied. “That or I actually bought the port.” She sighed. “I have some maps, all I have to do is finish decoding them and we can teleport to the desert just outside the temple.”

 

“Well, I'm hungry, so maybe we should go find someplace to eat.” Merida spoke up. Elizabeth nodded in agreement. The three girls entered Agrabah.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank You for reading. I have a blog where I occasionally post some mediocre edits about this story, nextgenouat.tumblr.com. So if you want to, you can go there, but no pressure. Comments and constructive criticism are welcome and enjoyed.


	2. They Literally Fight The Patriarchy

**They Literally Fight The Patriarchy**

The three girls were walking through the market and getting odd looks from people who passed by. People whispered to one another in Agrabah-ian.

 

“Excuse me,” Someone spoke, they stopped to turn to the person who they could understand. It was a middle-aged man, “Are you from Misthaven?”

 

“We call it the Enchanted Forest, I’m Princess Elizabeth of the Northern, Eastern and Central Kingdoms. These are my friends, Lady Melanie of Avonlea and Lady Merida of Locksley.”

 

“So much for discretion,” Melanie sighed.

 

“Why do you ask? And who are you?” Elizabeth added.

 

“I am Rafiqi. I was merely curious, you do not look like you crossed the desert?”

 

“We sailed around the coast,” Elizabeth replied. “Our ship was incredibly fast. Are you a local? We need to go further into the desert of Agrabah.”

 

“Why would you do that?” The man asked, “Nothing but sand.”

 

“We need an artifact buried under the sand,” Elizabeth explained. “It’s in a temple.”

 

“Not the Temple of the Tiger?”

 

“Mel?”

 

“The literal translation is the Temple of the Cat, but yes, we must go there,” Melanie said.

 

“Are you part of the king’s expedition?” The man asked.

 

“We know nothing of an expedition, why does the king want to go to the temple?” Elizabeth asked.

 

“Agrabah has fallen into poverty. The Sultan hopes that the riches of the temple will revitalize our economy. He is putting together a group that will go to the temple later this week.”

 

“How do you know this?” Merida asked.

 

“It is all abuzz, not many men are fearsome enough or brave enough to go to the temple. I also work in the palace, I tutor the young princess, Jasmine, which is why I also speak your language.” Rafiqi explained.

 

“Where would we go to join this party?” Melanie asked.

 

“The Palace, the Sultan would like to review each applicant for the expedition himself.”

 

“Thank you, Rafiqi, for your information, it will help us save our people,” Elizabeth smiled. “We have one more question, do you have any places one might go to eat?”

 

“There is an inn just over there,” He pointed to a building at the end of the street. “I know the innkeeper, she speaks your language as well, her father was a merchant with Misthaven. You will be comfortable there.”

 

“Thank you a thousand times,” Elizabeth said.

 

“It was an honor to help the Princess and Ladies of Misthaven.” Rafiqi replied.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

Men of different heights, gaits, and dressed in different armors, some were nice, some were poor. Some had grand weapons and some wielded their father’s dull swords. All of them looked at the three women as if they were three-headed camels. As the day grew hot, and the line grew shorter, the three girls whispered to each other about things that had happened back at home in their time apart. Merida made them laugh with stories about her three nephews who always got into trouble. Melanie talked about fascinating adventures she and her mother went on, travels to different realms to find books and scrolls to add to Belle’s large library. Elizabeth would talk about when her family would go on sailing trips and her brother Liam, named after a Navy Captain no doubt, would always end up projectile vomiting.

 

The group finally reached the end, and as the guards kicked a young boy with a stick out, they called upon the three, “Next.”

 

Elizabeth, Melanie and Merida stepped forward. The guard raised his eyebrows but let the three into the chamber. The Sultan sat on his throne, his daughter, about fourteen, sat beside him on a nice-looking pillow. As soon as the Sultan saw them, he laughed, “You are from Misthaven, I assume.” He said.

 

“We are,” Elizabeth replied. “I am Elizabeth, this is Melanie and Merida. We would like to be part of your expedition.”

 

“Why?” The Sultan asked.

 

“A necromancer we know as the Shadowman is causing death and danger upon our kingdoms,” Merida spoke up. “In that temple is an object that we need to stop him from continuing his reign of terror.”

 

“Why not pay for someone more adept to fetch it?” The Sultan asked. “It is dangerous for young unmarried women like yourself to roam these deserts. The Temple of the Tiger is a dangerous place.”

 

“It was created by the sorcerer Jafar many years ago,” Melanie said. “He used it to hide the relics which he stole from various realms. He fortified it with a basic protection spell, and an army of the undead.”

 

“Exactly! The undead!”

 

“Undead are easy to fight if it’s just the bodies,” Merida said. “All you have to do is remove the skull and burn the bones. In the Enchanted Forest, we fight the souls of the undead, much more dangerous. Since they have no physical embodiment to destroy.”

 

The Sultan stroked his beard, “You may know much, but you would ever succeed in a fight. I mean no disrespect, but women, femininity itself is inherently weaker.”

 

“Your Majesty,” Elizabeth said. “I disagree. But since with words, I cannot prove, what of a demonstration. Your best swordsman, I challenge to a duel of blades to who draws first blood from the abdomen. If I win, the three of us will be on the expedition, if he wins, we will leave Agrabah.”

 

“I am not a cruel man, you may stay in my palace until we return, and I will give the Enchanted Forest the relic it needs to stop the dark sorcerer. But I insist that you three stay in Agrabah, for a womanly presence in my court. But if you win this duel, yes, you and your friends may join my men on the expedition and return home. Jaabir!” He exclaimed. His guard approached. He spoke to him in their language. If the girls could understand what was being said, they would hear the Sultan say, “This woman, to prove her and her friends’ place on my expedition, has challenged you to a duel. I believe her rules were, to the first blood drawn of the abdomen.”

 

Jaabir nodded. Melanie and Merida stood off to the side, and Jaabir drew his scimitar, Elizabeth drew her saber, took off her jacket, unbuckled her sheath, and tossed both to Melanie. Elizabeth also noticed how the young Princess Jasmine looked at her with rapt attention.

 

“Begin!” The Sultan yelled in Agrabah-ian. But Elizabeth caught the gist.

 

Jaabir spun towards her, his blade whooshing through the air, slicing towards her stomach. She caught the blade with the flat of her sword, and as a result, Jaabir, slid his blade down hers, until it hit her handguard. She stepped under her own arm so he could not maneuver his point towards her, and slammed her elbow into his face, his head lurched back, and she was able to roll out of his blade’s reach. She stood up and faced him, he grabbed his nose and looked in awe as his nose was bleeding. This pissed him off, and he roared, lunging at her again, blade spinning in fluid motions. Elizabeth countered his attacks by blocking each one of his intricate spins with he sword, making him stop or dodge the wrong way at the last second. This didn’t mean he never made contact, because he sliced through her tunic sleeve several times when she blocked, and her right arm was covered in red. The longer the fight went on, the angrier Jaabir became. Elizabeth stayed on the defensive, but her back was almost at the wall. She decided she was going to do something rather drastic. The next time he made an attack, she turned around, and ran straight towards the wall, he continued moving towards her, to the wall, she ran up the wall, making two steps up before gravity started to take over, so she pushed off of the wall, and did a backflip. Jaabir turned around just in time for her to stick the tip of her sword to the spot of his stomach just above his navel. His white guard’s uniform turned red where the blood appeared. he looked down, looked back at her, and got onto his knee, showing her that she won. She sighed, pulling back her sleeve, four long, thin slashes were on her forearm. She winced as white light flashed over them, and they healed. She used her magic as well on Jaabir, his wound closing and broken nose snapping into place. He cried out in pain and then looked at her with fascination, “Thank you.” He stuttered out. Elizabeth smiled warmly at him.

 

Elizabeth went over to Melanie, pulled back on her jacket, and sheathed her sword, she then turned to the Sultan, “I won, fair and square, the three of us will be on your expedition.”

 

“You have magic!” The Sultan exclaimed.

 

“I come from a line of magic users, we all do,” Elizabeth said. Motioning to Melanie and Merida.

 

“How fascinating, but yes, I did make an agreement, I will allow you to go to the temple with my men to get the relic which you need. And then return home. But I have a question, why did the King send you three instead of a band of knights or a prince?”

 

“We sent ourselves,” Elizabeth replied. “My family was very stressed, so we took it upon ourselves to do this so my grandparents wouldn’t have to make difficult decisions.”

 

“And your family has ruling power?”

 

“My grandparents own three kingdoms in the Enchanted Forest.” Elizabeth said. “I am Princess Elizabeth of the Northern, Central and Eastern Kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest. This is Lady Melanie of Avonlea and Lady Merida of Locksley.”

 

“Women of noble descent, and you come to do the work of the warriors?” The Sultan asked. “The Enchanted Forest is an odd place indeed. I could give you ladies quarters until the expedition at the end of the week, it would be an honor to host you as guests in my palace. And while you may not stay for long, I am sure my daughter Jasmine would enjoy some company.”

 

“I don’t believe we have any problems with spending time with your daughter, as long as there won’t be a language barrier." Merida responded

 

“Do not worry, my Jasmine is fluent in many languages of this land,” The Sultan said. “Jasmine, why don’t you show these young women to your room while I have the servants prepare rooms for them?”

 

Jasmine nodded, “Yes Papa. Please come.” She beckoned them to her room.

 

Tapestry, rugs, ornate vases, and painting adorned her room. She sat down on the floor.

 

The four girls sat there awkwardly with not much to say, when a tiger walked into the room. The girls from the Enchanted Forest gaped.

 

“Is that a tiger?” Merida asked.

 

“Yes! His name is Rajah,” Jasmine said happily. The tiger walked up to her, and she stroked it. It flopped down beside her and she scratched its ears.

 

“Do you have any pets?”

 

“I have a cat,” Elizabeth said. “On my ship, he hunts the mice in the store cupboard.”

 

“Like Rajah?” Jasmine asked.

 

“But smaller, I call him Sir McFluffins.” Elizabeth said. “My mom gave me him when he was a kitten.”

 

“My mother passed away when I was a girl,” Jasmine said sadly.

 

“I’m so sorry,” Merida said.

 

“Do you have a mother?” Jasmine asked.

 

“I have two,” Merida admitted. “One is the mother who birthed me and the other is the woman who married my father, my Aunt.”

 

“They are not the same woman?” Jasmine seemed perplexed.

 

“My birth mother is my father’s wife’s sister. She was jealous of her sister, so she killed my father’s first wife, pretended to be her, and then got pregnant with me. When my father found out, he married my aunt, his present wife. I consider both of them to be maternal figures.” Merida explained.

 

“Is having two mothers common in you land?” Jasmine asked.

 

“No,” Merida said. “Both Melanie and Elizabeth have their birth mother as their only mother.”

 

“Do you go on adventures often?” Jasmine inquired.

 

“We’ve travelled through the woods before, or gone on hunting expeditions with our parents, and I go to different realms with my mother to collect books, but this is the first time the three of us went alone to a different land to go on an adventure. And we’re not done yet. Once we have the hourglass, we need to go back in time to cast a spell on our land.” Melanie said.

 

“Are you scared?” Jasmine asked.

 

“Well, I’ve been so caught up in what we’re doing, I’ve never really thought about being scared,” Elizabeth said.

 

“I’m always scared, I’ve learned to live with it,” Melanie added. “The gains outweigh the risks, and if I plan well, I won’t need to be scared.”

 

“I get scared, sometimes," Merida said. "But what I'm doing is important, so I forget my fear."

 

“You are all very brave, I would like to be brave,” Jasmine said. “But I never leave the palace walls.”

 

“My mother once said that if you do something brave, bravery will follow,” Melanie told her.

 

“I will remember that,” Jasmine nodded.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

Dressed in fine robes given to them by the Sultan, the three girls sat with the Sultan at his table while his entire court dined together. The little man stood up tall and clapped, the room grew silent.

 

“Agrabah has been impoverished for almost a decade. Our shops have no profit. and our economy has fallen flat,” The Sultan spoke in his native language.

 

Only Melanie really comprehended what he was saying and she whispered to Merida and Princess, “He’s talking about the bad economy.”

 

“But, I have thought of a way to aid my people. The evil sorcerer Jafar, long gone from our land, made a temple in the desert where he hid his relics and his stolen treasures. I have put together an expedition, who will go to this temple, and reimburse our land with Jafar’s stolen riches. After looking through the best guards and champions that presented themselves to me, I admit, I have made a rather abnormal choice, but one I am confident with, meet Princess Elizabeth from the Enchanted Forest. A master in magic and combat.” He motioned towards Elizabeth.

 

“Stand up,” Melanie whispered to Elizabeth. Elizabeth stood up as the court applauded politely.

 

“She and her fellow ladies of the Enchanted Forest have travelled, for their interests are aligned with ours. And we will repay them for their service with their weight in gold and a relic which will help them destroy their own dark sorcerer. A necromancer, no doubt. Their presence is needed and appreciated.” He switched from speaking Agrabah-ian to English, “Princess Elizabeth, do you have anything you would like to say to Agrabah?”

 

“You can tell them that I think that Agrabah is very beautiful, that I thank you and your court for their hospitality, and that it is an honor to help another region, and I hope my kingdoms and Agrabah could perhaps negotiate an alliance or a trade in the future.” Elizabeth said. Melanie gave her a thumbs-up. The Sultan restated what Elizabeth said back to the people of his court and they cheered. Elizabeth smiled and sat back down.

 

“Now, you may begin to feast!” The Sultan exclaimed, as servants with platters of food came out.

 

“If you don’t mind me asking, Your Majesty,” Melanie spoke to the Sultan, “Do you have a financial plan with the money? Do you even know how much will be in the temple?”

 

“We found Jafar’s book which he used to record all the contents of the temple. My financers were able to tell me approximately how much money we will have.”

 

“And how will you put it back into the economy?”

 

“I assumed my financers would create a plan for such. Once I give money to your Princess Elizabeth and the rest of the expedition, they will use what is left.”

 

“I’m quite interested in economics,” Melanie admitted. “Would you mind if perhaps tomorrow I went to go share my ideas with them?”

 

“It would be an honor,” The Sultan replied.

  
  



	3. The Skeleton Army is Underwhelming

**The Skeleton Army Is Underwhelming**

 

It was the night before they left. Melanie had spent the day with the mathematicians, talking about commerce and economy and things that she found fascinating. Merida and Elizabeth played games with the young princess Jasmine, who marvelled as Merida would shoot apples off of Elizabeth’s head, or when Elizabeth would perform magic tricks. But night fell, Jasmine was taken to bed, and the three girls eventually all went up to their room and fell asleep.

 

The next morning, the palace was abuzz with the expedition. Twelve men, the three girls, thirty camels, five elephants, three horses and baskets and containers to load up the riches as they left were all being assembled in the courtyard.

 

“We will travel west for three miles and south for one mile,” Melanie was explaining to the group in Agrabah-ian, “There we will reach the coordinates of the temple. Merida, Elizabeth and I will break down the protective enchantments. Us and seven men will enter the temple to clear it of any other spells or protections. Once it is clear, we will load the gold onto the camels and elephants and return here. If lucky, we will be back by daybreak tomorrow. The rewards will be one percent of the riches per person, which based on the information from Jafar’s records, will be over fifty thousand riyals.”

 

“I see you’ve had practice,” Elizabeth told Melanie.

 

“Two days with mathematicians who spoke primarily their native language really brought it all back for me.” Melanie replied. “We go when you’re ready, Princess.”

 

Elizabeth nodded. She looked at all the men loaded onto their camels. She climbed onto one of the three horses that the Sultan got for her and the other girls. “Let’s go!” She called. Melanie also climbed on her horse and shouted a translation at the men. The group moved forward, past the palace walls, into Agrabah. The citizens saw the Princess, dressed in her red leather, and her two companions, the camels, the elephants, and the men pass, and they stood there. Elizabeth smiled and waved at everyone, but all of Agrabah was looking at them, staring, sending them one silent message. Don’t screw up.

 

Travelling through the desert wasn’t fun. The heat scorched them, sweat dripped from their brow, underarms, down their backs and down their fronts.

 

“Oh, Melanie,” Elizabeth said after almost an hour of silence. “I have a question.”

 

“Ask away.”

 

“How do you spell lieutenant?”

 

“L-I-E-U-T-E-N-A-N-T,” Melanie said. “There are two pronunciations. The one you said, with a ‘Loo’ sound, or ‘Leftenant’.”

 

“Why ‘Leftenant’?”

 

“Well, It was originally French, but in the late 16th century, it was introduced into the english language, and they pronounced L-i-e-u as ‘Left’.”

 

“Thanks,” Elizabeth said.

 

“No problem,” Melanie replied.

 

And then they continued on through the desert in silence.

 

The sun had reached its highest point in the sky and was slowly descending when Melanie motioned to stop. “We shouldn’t be more than five yards away.”

 

Elizabeth nodded and got off her horse, as did Merida, and the three walked forwards. “Do you feel it?” Melanie asked.

 

“It’s primitive,” Merida inferred. They stared at nothing but two boulders partially buried in the sand.

 

The three girls outstretched their palms towards the boulder, magic surrounding it. Instantly, the boulders broke free from the sand, and rose into the air. The boulders however, were not boulders, they were the tips of ears. From the sand a giant head of a tiger, at least fifteen feet tall, broke free. It’s mouth was open as if it was roaring and a dim light was down it’s throat. The seven best fighters accompanied the girls. To light the way, fireballs were conjured by the girls. Like their magic, each was a different color. Melanie had bright red and orange flames. Merida’s were an acidic green. And Elizabeth’s fire was bright blue. The multicolored lights lit the passageway down the tiger’s throat, as the ten people went further into the mouth. Elizabeth, who was leading the way, slipped, and fell. She slid down the narrow, steep passage.

 

“Liz!” Melanie and Merida exclaimed as she vanished.

 

“I’m okay!” Elizabeth yelled back up. “I think it’s supposed to be a slide!”

 

Merida and Melanie glanced at one another, Merida jumped down the passage as Merida explained to the Agrabah men, before following. They followed her as well. The ten met at the bottom of the slide.

 

Merida shot an acidic ball of flame around the room, the ball of flame bounced between the torches that surrounded the room and the entire room was soon alight. Elizabeth and Melanie dissipated their balls of fire, and they looked around the room. Skeletal figures holding various weapons stood poised, ready for attack.

“What activates them?” Elizabeth asked Melanie. Melanie looked at the floor, “That,” She motioned to a slab of brick in the narrow passage, almost impossible not to step on. “See, the entire floor is covered in sand, so it’s hard to see the outline of the slab, but that block is outlined, because it’s a trap, the sand falls down in the crevice, because it’s supposed to move, it’s a pressure plate. You step on it, it activates a necromancy spell.” She waved her hand and the trick brick vanished. “Just don’t fall in the hole.”

 

“That was incredibly underwhelming,” Merida said. “Can I burn them anyway?”

 

“Of course you can,” Elizabeth said. Merida smiled, and shot another ball of acidic flame at the skeletons. Their bones cracked and turned to ash in the scorching hot green fire. The group watched as the skeletons smouldered, and then they made their way to the end of the passage, where a golden door led to another chamber. Melanie tried to open it, pushing hard. “Ugh, it’s jammed.”

 

“The joints probably rusted,” Merida said.

 

“Gold can’t rust,” Melanie said. “Either something is blocking it, or it corroded another way.”

 

“How would it corrode?”

 

“Sulfuric acid,” Melanie said. “Elizabeth, can you cut through it?”

 

“I can try,” Elizabeth said, pulling out her saber. “A katana would work better at slicing through stuff.” She noted. The metal of her sword bubbled, and changed it’s shape. She no longer held a saber, she held a long samurai sword. She sunk it into the gold door, and sliced down on the side near the hinges. It cut through the golden door as if it was butter. There was some resistance however, which is why it wasn’t melted butter. “Get the guys to lift it, we can take it with us, it’s a slab of solid gold!”

 

Melanie nodded and told the men to pull the slab down so they could pass. The men obeyed, and the door was set down.

 

“There’s nothing blocking it,” Merida said. “And I don't know what Sulfuric acid smells like, but all I smell is dust.”

 

“There is also a possibility that I may have overlooked,” Melanie said. “It was a pull and not a push.”

 

“God, Melanie, for the smartest one here, you really can be a dumbass sometimes,” Merida sighed before walking into the room and lighting more torches on the walls with her acidic green flames. This room was a thousand times bigger than the previous corridors and was full of nothing but literal heaps of gold coins and objects, jewels, paintings, ivory sculptures, and rich tapestries and rugs.

 

“What if there’s a dragon?” Elizabeth asked Melanie.

 

“There isn't a dragon,” Melanie sighed. “Although I understand your apprehension.”

 

The seven men were laughing, picking up the gold and throwing it in the air, dancing under it.

 

“We need to find the hourglass,” Melanie said. Elizabeth and Merida nodded.

 

“I don't sense any protection enchantments on this gold, we should be able to teleport it directly into the cases.” Elizabeth said.

 

“Do we have enough room in storage?” Merida asked.

 

“The dumbass here put an expansion spell on the insides of all the containers, we'll have enough room,” Melanie replied. Merida nodded.

 

“On three?” Elizabeth asked.

 

“One… two… three!” The girls chanted in tandem. A giant funnel of red, green, and white smoke vanished all of the gold. The hourglass appeared in Melanie’s hand. The men looked at the girls with shock. Melanie told them what they did with the gold and the group made their way up out of the temple. When they reached the slide, it transformed into stairs, and all ten of them exited the tiger’s face. As they finished leaving, the tiger’s head submerged under the sand dunes once more.

 

The five men who stood guard gazed in awe at the baskets now full of gold, and the camels and elephants, now heavy with gold, and the members of the expedition, made their way, slower than last time, back to Agrabah. The sun was setting when they left, and so they could not make their way all the way back to Agrabah, even though they were barely two miles away when night fell. They slept, the men told stories happily to one another over the fire, and spoke of what they would do with their money.

 

“We could have done all this all alone,” Merida said.

 

“But we helped Agrabah, and that is a good thing,” Elizabeth said. She marvelled at the hourglass. “Is that it? How we will stop him?”

 

“Yes,” Melanie said. “It won't activate until we purposely use magic, but, this is how we'll stop the Shadowman.”

 

“We should sleep,” Elizabeth said. “I'm sure tomorrow will be filled with feasts and parties. And the morning after tomorrow, we return to the Enchanted Forest.”

 

“Our parents are going to yell at us,” Melanie said.

 

“We gave them a boon,” Merida told her. “We did what we need to do to help out our lands and our people.”

 

“What if something terrible happened while we were gone?” Merida asked, apprehensively.

 

“They'll be okay,” Elizabeth told her. “If something happens, when we go back in time, we'll return until just before anything bad happened and destroy the army of shadows.”

 

Melanie nodded, and then the three girls did finally decide to go to sleep.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

As they rode into Agrabah, the people in the streets cheered, all of the adventurers waved, and flowers were thrown from rooftops. The group waved and smiled at the citizens. They made their way to the Sultan’s palace, the Sultan happily hugged Elizabeth, “Thank you! Thank you!” He exclaimed. “Agrabah is forever in your debt. I knew I was right to pick you!”

 

“I dueled with your head guard to be able to go home because you wanted to imprison us in Agrabah rather than let us help,” Elizabeth replied.

 

The Sultan’s smile wavered slightly, “Oh, but I knew you'd win! Come! We will have a grand celebration!”

 

It was a grand celebration indeed. Cheerful music played, people ate and danced, belly dancers and comedic puppet shows performed. The Sultan invited young men as suitors for Jasmine, but they were far more interested in the young women from Misthaven than young Princess who was still going through puberty, which Jasmine was complacent with. That night, fireworks shot off into the starry sky over Agrabah, and the entire city went to sleep with smiles on their faces and full stomachs.

 

Morning came, the girls had their last meal with Jasmine, who they wished. The Sultan gave them a trade contract he wished for them to present to King David and Queen Snow. Riches were loaded into the cargo hold of Elizabeth’s ship. As the Sultan promised it was as much as all three women were in weight. The people of Agrabah threw more flowers under the hooves of the girls’ horses (which the Sultan insisted they keep). Bakers insisted on having their best loaves and tailors made sure before they left they didn’t go without their finest dresses and robes of the finest silks. Elizabeth smiled and waved as she sailed away from Agrabah’s docks. And the sail back to the Enchanted Forest was calm, with clear skies and crystal blue water. The girls were very satisfied with their adventure, and were quietly begging for their next quests to be just as interesting. They docked in the royal docks and all seemed very well and good indeed. Except, it is always calm before a storm.

 

 


	4. Family Reunions Are Always Awkward

**Family Reunions Are Always Awkward**

 

“ELIZABETH RUTH SWAN-JONES WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?” Princess Emma Swan screamed, running down to the docks, her hair was a mess, her dress was several days old, and she looked so furious she might have set fire to the entire continent if she wanted.

 

Elizabeth’s father, Killian, rushed over and grabbed Emma by the elbow, “They’re alive, love, we can yell at Elizabeth later, but the others are worried sick.”

 

Emma sighed, “Come,” She commanded, and the three girls followed. In the throne room, were several people. Elizabeth’s siblings, Henry, his wife, Liam, and Luke were standing by Snow and David, who were seated at their thrones. Melanie’s parents, Robin, Regina, and even Zelena were there also. Zelena had anti-magic cuffs on, however.

 

“Melanie, thank god you’re alright,” Belle exclaimed, hugging her daughter will full might. Melanie hugged her mother back.

 

“You’re not mad?” Melanie asked.

 

Belle laughed, “Are you kidding? I was running away from home when I was fourteen, you’re a late bloomer.”

 

“I didn’t run away.. I wanted to come back, but-”

 

“Melanie, I’m just glad that you’re okay,” Belle told her. “You’re an adult anyway. You can go wherever you want, just, please tell me next time.”

 

Rumpelstiltskin approached his daughter, setting a hand on her shoulder. “Melanie, I’m glad nothing bad happened to you.”

 

“Thank you, father,” Melanie nodded curtly.

 

Meanwhile, Merida approached her family. Robin hugged his daughter, “Oh, you’re alright, I was so worried, Merry.”

 

“Yeah, no, I didn't even need to fire a single arrow, I was perfectly safe,” Merida said.

 

Robin let go of his daughter and Regina hugged her, “You scared us.”

 

“Sorry about that, Aunt Regina,” Merida hugged her back.

 

Regina went to stand by Robin and Merida looked up at Zelena with questioning. Zelena awkwardly cleared her throat, “I am relieved that your adventure was successful and that you're not dead.”

 

“Thank you, Mother,” Merida replied. “As am I.”

 

Elizabeth was looking down at her feet, “I’m sorry, Mom, Dad, I know that I should have told you but… I was…”

 

“You left, in the middle of the night, no note, your ship was gone, and we were so worried- a week went by, Liz, a week!” Emma exclaimed.

 

“I’m okay, though!”

 

“I know you’re turning 18 in three months, but until then, you are still my baby,” Emma told her. “And I am very mad at you.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Elizabeth said.

 

Emma hugged her daughter, “Thank god nothing happened to you!” Emma then took a step back and reached up, stroking Elizabeth’s face. Elizabeth was slightly taller than her mother.

 

Killian approached his daughter and hugged her, “You are a very reckless young lady, Elizabeth. How was the sea?”

 

“Seriously?” Emma asked her husband.

 

“We hit a storm on the way to Agrabah, but the sail back was clear.” Elizabeth replied.

 

“Wait,” Belle walked over, “Why did you three go to Agrabah?”

 

“I think why they left and where to is a question we all want answered,” Regina agreed.

 

“I was listening in on your meeting the other day and I told Melanie about how the Shadowman could be stopped if that spell was used before he started creating talismans, but none of us were powerful enough to cast an entire spell on the Enchanted Forest.” Elizabeth said.

 

“And I realized that we didn’t have to, in the past, people have been able to alter the Dark Curse, if we went back in time to alter a cast of the Dark Curse, then we could protect the entire realm. Once we came back, the talismans could be destroyed by the spell, and it would also not create a paradox. The only thing we needed to get was a way to time travel,” Melanie pulled the hourglass out of her satchel. “It’s called the Sands of Time. I read about it when I was studying the sorcerer Jafar, he had it stored in a temple he created in Agrabah.”

 

“They came to Sherwood Forest to tell me about it and the three of us decided to leave that night,” Merida said. “We took Elizabeth’s ship to Agrabah, and when we arrived, we found out that that very week, the Sultan wanted to take an expedition to Jafar’s temple to get the gold. They had economic troubles. We went to join the expedition. He didn’t want to let us on the expedition because we were girls, so Elizabeth challenged his best fighter to a duel.”

 

“I won,” Elizabeth added. “He found out that I was a Princess and that we had magic, and insisted that the three of us lead his expedition. We hung out with his daughter, Jasmine, until it was time for us to go to the temple. The temple had a simple protection spell, an army of skeletons that reanimated by activating a pressure plate, and a golden door that was difficult to open. We broke the protection spell, Melanie got rid of the pressure plate, Merida burned the skeletons, and I cut down the solid gold door.”

 

“Then we returned to Agrabah, there was a party that involved feasting, dancing, fireworks, and the Sultan gave us our weight in gold to repay us for our troubles and let us keep the hourglass. The people of Agrabah gave us gifts for helping their city, and we sailed back,” Merida finished.

 

“Before I forget, the Sultan gave me a contract that he wanted me to give you,” Elizabeth told her grandparents. “Because he was so pleased with our kingdom that he wanted to set up an alliance and a system of commerce.” She handed it to them.

 

“And now that you have the hourglass, what are you planning on doing with it?” Snow White asked.

 

“Go back to when you cast the Dark Curse,” Melanie said. “We thought that would be the most opportune time. We would alter it, and then find a way back while in Storybrooke. We could lie that we came through in the curse, and that we didn’t in the first one for whatever reason.”

 

“Why the three of you?” David asked.

 

“Because we wouldn’t have existed yet. No one could recognize us.” Merida shrugged.

 

“But you don’t know what would have happened, you could alter the timeline. Killian and I did that when we went back in time, and we had the book to go off of, you don’t even have a book.”

 

“That might not be true,” Henry spoke up. “As the author, I can’t control what happens, but I still record. I wrote a book Storybrooke. I could give it to them. While they would end up altering it, they would have something to go off of.”

 

“We can do this,” Elizabeth said. “Please, let us do this. We’ve done so much already.”

 

“I have the spell,” Belle said. “Elizabeth can cast it on the dark curse.”

 

“And they’ll need memory potions,” Regina said. “I have a few bottles.”

 

“They should take the Black Swan with them back in time,” Killian said. The group agreed.

 

“And they should leave as soon as possible,” David said. “We just found out that the Shadowman’s _vast_ army is on it’s way, it may be here in a few days, or by tonight.”

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

“You have to promise that you’ll be safe,” Emma told Elizabeth.

 

“I promise, Mom,” Elizabeth promised, hugging her mother. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Elizabeth.” Emma replied.

 

Killian hugged his daughter, “You’re a beautiful, talented, hard-working young woman. And I am very proud of you, and I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Daddy,” Elizabeth responded.

 

“Hey, Lizzy,” Henry hugged his sister. “Be safe.”

 

“Of course Henry,” Elizabeth said.

 

“I was a bit of a stupid kid,” Henry said. “So, I’m apologizing in advance for anything.”

 

“Apology accepted,” Elizabeth smiled.

 

“Here,” Henry handed her his book, it was a thick book that looked like a novel. “There aren’t any pictures.”

 

“I’m sure all the authors had a different writing style.” Elizabeth replied.

 

Liam hugged his sister from behind, “You’re gonna kick ass.”

 

“That’s the general idea, Liam,” Elizabeth answered, patting his arms that were crossed at her chest.

 

She knelt down and hugged Luke, her youngest brother, he was barely twelve. Luke hugged her back. He was crying, she wiped his tears, “I’ll be back, Luke, you’ll see.”

 

Elizabeth walked over to her grandparents and hugged both of them, “I’ll be careful.”

 

“Thank you, Elizabeth,” Snow said. “For doing this.”

 

“You’ve become a terrific young woman,” David agreed. “I wish Neal was could be here, but his wife could give birth any day, and he needs to stay in Arendelle.”

 

“Well, tell Uncle Neal I love him.”

 

Merida was saying farewell to her family, too.

 

“Goodbye, papa,” She hugged her father, Robin hugged her back.

 

“Goodbye, Merry,” He replied. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too,” She seconded. “Tell Roland that I love him, and hug the triplets for me. Also, lock them in the basement for me.”

 

“Merida!” Robin exclaimed

 

“I’m kidding… mostly.”

 

Zelena cackled.

 

Merida hugged Regina, “I’ll be safe, Aunt Regina.”

 

“I love you, Merida,” Regina told her niece. “Here are the memory potions, I also have apples, red and green in there, and they aren’t poisonous, wait this is the apple of discord,” Regina pulled out a gold apple with greek inscripted on it and stuffed it into her dress. “And also I have a skeleton key, which will work on any building in Storybrooke, including my vault in case you need anything, I have all sorts of items in there, and uh… yeah.”

 

“I love you too.” Merida was chuckling, but she took the bag.

 

Merida approached Zelena who was still there, “I guess I’m doing what you couldn’t,” She told her mother.

 

“I time travelled, just not to the desired time,” Zelena shrugged. “So I suppose you’re right there. Be safe and all that stuff.”

 

“I will be, Mother.”

 

“If I say anything rude or nasty to you in the past, sorry.”

 

“Thanks,” Merida replied. “That’s a lovely last message.”

 

“What I’m trying to say is, I know that I’m not the best person,” Zelena said. “And yes, I only got impregnated with you to get revenge on your aunt, but, I guess there were more benefits than I expected to having you. So, while I may be bad at it, I do want you to know that I care about your wellbeing. I grew up feeling unwanted and I just always hoped you never felt that way.”

 

“I never did.” Merida smiled. She walked away.

 

“Having a kid has turned you into a sap, sis,” Regina said as Merida’s back was turned.

 

“Shut up,” Zelena said. “I may not be able to turn you into a monkey, but I can still punch you in the face.”

 

Melanie was also saying farewell to her family.

 

“Mom, mom, I can’t breathe,” Melanie protested as Belle squeezed her. “Mom, please, I… can’t… breathe!”

 

Belle finally let go, she was crying, “When I first had you, I knew that you would be the best thing that ever happened to me. I am proud to say that I was right. I love you, so much, Melanie.”

 

“I love you too Mom,” Melanie replied.

 

“This is the spell for Elizabeth to perform, all she has to do is fill the crystal with her magic and drop it in the cauldron.”

 

“I’ll relay the message.” Melanie promised. She turned to her father. “Father… uh, goodbye.”

 

“Melanie I’m sorry I wasn’t-”

 

“I really need to go,” Melanie said, nervously glancing at Merida and Elizabeth bored, and looking for an excuse to not have a conversation. “I’m sorry, I’ll see you later, love you.”

 

She smiled at her mother wistfully for the last time and walked off. The three girls boarded the Black Swan. They waved back at their family as they entered the water.

 

“Activate the hourglass,” Elizabeth commanded.

 

Melanie and Merida held it, and their red and green magic made the sand look like rubies and emeralds. Melanie handed the hourglass to Elizabeth, who made the glass glow with her light magic, she chucked it into the water. Where it landed, a portal opened in the water. Elizabeth steered her ship into the whirlpool, “Next Stop,” She exclaimed. “Twenty years ago!” The masts of the Black Swan disappeared under the water.

 

 


	5. Look At That Witch, Now Back To Me, I'm On A Boat

**Look At That Witch, Now Back To Me, I’m On A Boat**

 

Regina sighed as Snow White hugged her husband’s corpse. She had just witnessed Snow White crush her husband’s heart and while Regina three years ago would have laughed gleefully, Regina now was… sad.

 

Regina spoke to Snow, “This won’t be in vain, we will get back to Storybrooke we will defeat-”

The wind howled as Zelena on her broomstick entered the rooftop plaza that the curse was being cast in. She threw a handful of green smoke into the cauldron, and landed. Regina’s face grew red with fury, “Zelena.”

 

“A flying broom? Please bitch, try a flying boat!” A female voice exclaimed. Indeed, a black flying boat with a swan as the figurehead was hovering over them. A blonde woman was hanging onto the figurehead, she was dressed in red and black. “Now!” She exclaimed. An arrow whizzed from the crown’s nest on the mainmast into the cauldron. Where the point should have been a bright, white, glowing crystal was. It dissolved in the cauldron.

 

“What did you do?” Zelena yelled.

 

“Don’t worry I didn’t mess with your added magic,” The girl said. Zelena didn’t care and threw a green ball of magic at the ship, the girl on the swan blocked it with pure white light, which turned the offending magic into a rainbow.

 

“Emma?” Snow asked.

 

“No, sorry to disappoint. True love means two hearts become one. Toodle-pip!” She jumped onto the deck of the boat and it sailed through the sky into the night.

 

“That was unexpected,” Regina said. “Let’s resume, shall we?”

“Let’s. Did you really think that you could reenact Rumpel’s Dark Curse and I wouldn’t know about it?”

 

“No, but I didn’t really care.” Regina replied. “You’re too late.”

 

“Actually, I’m not.” Zelena replied. “I’m afraid you sacrificed your charming husband for nothing,” She told Snow.

 

“Regina, he can’t die in vain!”

 

“She’s bluffing. Once the curse is enacted, it can’t be stopped.”

 

“I may not be able to stop it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t spice it up a bit, you heard the girl in the flying ship, I added magic. And so did she, what she did, I’m rather curious to find out. But for me, how does a forgetting potion sound?”

 

The potion bubbled with magic, and the cloud came out. It wasn’t purple or green, but a beautiful clear white, like a fluffy cloud.

 

“I suppose the color change our mysterious friend is responsible for.” Zelena shrugged. “Oh, sorry, did you need your memories in the new land? Were you planning to stop me, or- for that matter, recognize me?”

 

“We’ll find a way.”

 

“Without knowing any of this? I doubt it,” Zelena replied. “You’ll be too busy looking for your husband. You won’t even know about his sacrifice. Just endlessly wondering where he could be.” Zelena faked a sad voice, “Always fearing the worst. Pay attention, Sis,” She told Regina. “This is how you take away a happy ending.”

Zelena flew off on her flying broom.

 

Snow held her husband’s head in her hands, “Regina. I need you to rip out my heart. Charming was right, we have been of one heart since the day he woke me from the sleeping curse. And that girl showing up and saying the exact same thing makes me think that, there’s more I can do! If you split my heart in half, we can both survive!”

 

“Snow,” Regina said sympathetically, “I know your love is strong, but, this isn’t like plucking a flower. How do you know it will work?”

 

“FAITH!” Snow yelled in Regina’s face. “BELIEF! I BELIEVE! I believe my heart is strong enough for the both of us!”

 

“But if you’re wrong, you’ll die.”

 

“Please!” Snow held Regina’s hands. “Please, Regina! Do it!”

 

Regina kneeled so she faced Snow White and

 

Snow White put a hand on the Evil Queen’s shoulder. hugging her, and smiling, as Regina plunged her hand into Snow’s chest and took her heart. The white clouds thundered as Regina held the heart, and ripped it in two, each heartbeat was in tandem, but doubled. Regina put the hearts in both Snow and Charming, After a few seconds of silence, Charming gasped and became undead.

 

“Snow,” He gasped. “Snow, What’s happening?”

 

Snow giggled, “You’re okay. We’re both okay.”

 

Then they started making out on the ground while Regina smiled and the white clouds of the curse overcame them.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

“Did you really have to call my mother a bitch?” Merida asked as they sailed through the night sky.

 

“You’ve called your mother a bitch before,” Elizabeth shrugged.

 

“She’s my mother, Liz, I can call her whatever I want.”

 

“Fair enough, sorry,” Elizabeth replied. “There’s a body of water we can park. Hey, Merida, when should we take the memory potions?”

 

“Once we see the clouds.” Merida said. Elizabeth nodded. She landed in the sea, and steered to the docks. Elizabeth put a restoration spell on the ship, so the Curse wouldn’t change it to fit in with the 21st century.

 

“There, it and everything inside it will stay the same, meaning we need to get out.” Elizabeth said. “We don’t have any clothes for the world without magic. The curse will give us clothes.” She took off her jacket and laid it across the steering wheel. “I also suggest any items you don’t want to have changed you leave here.”

 

Merida took off her necklace and tucked it in the pocket of Elizabeth’s jacket. Elizabeth and Merida both took off their weapons and set them on the deck of the ship as well, and they boarded off, with nothing but the clothes on their back and the three blue vials. When they saw the white, fluffy clouds rolling in they took the potion, and less than a minute later they were overrun with the curse.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

When they woke up, they were lying on a row of wooden planks. They all sat up, it was morning, Elizabeth turned around, and there was the Black Swan, the same as it was in the Enchanted Forest. She ran up to the ship, “We’re in public eye, we should go somewhere more inconspicuous.”

 

“But we can’t leave town or else flying monkeys will attack,” Melanie said.

 

“I can undo my mother’s monkey spell,” Merida told Melanie. “We’ll be fine.” She looked at her clothes, “What am I wearing?”

 

“Clothes appropriate for here.” Melanie said. “My mother and I have been to the land without magic before.”

 

“Of course you have, you’ve been here, Camelot, Oz, Wonderland, Neverland, Olympus,” Elizabeth counted off on her fingers. “A billion other places.”

 

“Not a billion, maybe twenty realms,” Melanie corrected. “The point is, for this realm’s fashion, we all look nice.”

 

Melanie was wearing a black leather jacket, over a green and black checkered button up, over a black tank top, and black skinny jeans. Merida was dressed in a cream colored cardigan and green corduroy pants. Elizabeth was wearing a denim jacket, a floral button up, a yellow undershirt, and denim jeans that matched her jacket, and a knit blue beanie. Elizabeth pulled her red leather jacket over her denim one, handed Merida her necklace, and sailed the Black Swan to another port. There was a tiny cove by the woods, directly under a cliff, so you had to jump off the cliff to see the ship. They decided this was the best place to stay.

 

“We have to leave to get food, clothes, soap, stuff like that. The rest of it, we should be able to have already.” Melanie said.

 

“Well, we need paper money, and, all we have is gold.” Merida replied.

 

“My mother might trade money for gold.” Melanie said. “Zelena knows what Elizabeth looks like.”

 

“Yeah, but, I can always use a glamor spell,” Elizabeth said.

 

“I think Merida should do it,” Melanie said. “She’s the better actress.”

 

“I am,” Merida agreed. “Just, tell me what I need to get and where to get it.”

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

Merida was going through the woods. Since archery equipment was conspicuous, she only had a knife in a green satchel, where the pouch of gold and shopping list were as well. The snow crunched under her boots, and her hair was wrapped around her neck like a scarf. She heard something and stopped, she didn’t hear any wings, so it wasn’t a monkey, it sounded like someone walking. She approached cautiously. She heard a bow string snap and dodged the offending projectile. “Oi! You could have taken my head off” She exclaimed, grabbing the arrow that was in the tree and waving it.

 

“I am terribly sorry,” It was her father, Robin Hood. “I thought you were a winged beast.”

 

“Winged beasts usually fly, hence the wings,” Merida responded. “For the best archer in the land, you’re rather shoddy.”

 

“I apologize again Lady…”

 

“Merida,” Merida replied.

 

“You found something?” It was Prince Charming and Captain Hook.

 

“How many men are running around these woods?” Merida asked

 

“Why are you in the woods alone?” Charming asked.

 

“Our camp is by the cliffs over there, I’m going to get food from the markets in this land, I have some gold, are you all on a hunt for those winged things?”

 

“You saw one?”

 

“It flew near our camp, we threw rocks at it and it flew away.” Merida shrugged.

 

“Our camp? Who else is with you?”

 

“Two other young women,” Merida replied. “Does it matter?”

 

“I suppose it doesn’t,” Charming said. “I’m David. This is Hook.”

 

“Well, while this wasn’t fun and all, I have to be off-” There was a quiet moaning, “Did you hear that?”

 

“Hear what?”

 

“There’s moaning coming from over there, and-” She sniffed, “Blood.”

 

“You can smell blood?”

 

Merida shrugged, “Is someone from your party hurt?”

 

“They were attacked by a winged creature,” Hook said.

 

“I bet you they’re that way,” Merida pointed, the group rushed off to go find the missing compadre and Merida quietly slipped past them and made it to the road, she walked down the street to Storybrooke.

 

She walked into the Pawnshop where Belle was, “Hi,”

 

“Hi!” Belle smiled. “Do you need anything?’

 

“Yeah, uh, I need to buy stuff in this new land and I only have gold and some of the people said that if I go here-”

 

“I can turn your gold into money for you. Most people’s money changed currency or disappeared with the curse… why didn’t yours?” Belle asked.

 

“Oh, uh, It’s a magic pouch. Nothing can get through it. Water, bugs, air, and apparently curses.” Merida sighed. “I’m Merida by the way.”

 

“Belle.”

 

“Belle…. Gold? I saw the sign,”

 

“Oh, no, Mr. Gold isn’t with us anymore.”

 

“I’m sorry, how did you know each other?”

 

“We used to be romantically involved. Never got married. We might have if he didnt’t-”

 

“My condolences.”

 

“Thank you,” Belle said. She handed a bundle of cash to Merida. “I’ll give you a thousand more for the pouch. It’s rather fascinating.”

 

“Oh, thanks for the offer but… it was my mother’s so… I didn’t have the best relationship with her but this necklace and this pouch are gifts from her.”

 

“Is she dead?”

 

“No, she was imprisoned, back in the Enchanted Forest. She sort of… killed… people,” Merida sighed. “It doesn’t matter. Thank you Belle.”

 

“You’re welcome, Merida.” Belle replied. Merida went off to get more items she needed.

 

When she was going to Granny’s, because she was hungry and wanted some advice on food in this realm and it was the first place she saw with any food items, she almost bumped into someone when entering, her mother.

 

“Oh, I am terribly sorry,” Zelena said.

 

“Oh, I should have watched where I was going,” Merida replied, smiling. “I’m Merida.” She stuck out her hand.

 

“Zelena,” Zelena replied. “I like your necklace.”

 

Merida touched the emerald pendant surrounded in tiny diamonds that hung on her neck, “Thank you, I like your brooch.”

 

Zelena touched her brooch, “Thank you, well, see you.”

 

“Bye,” Merida smiled. She entered Granny’s, and spoke to Ruby behind the counter “Hi, one uh… coffee and some advice, if you don’t mind. I missed the first curse and I wondered if there was any markets or places to buy food. Like vegetables and meat and bread and whatnot?”

 

“Uh, yeah, hold on,” Ruby poured her coffee, “I have a map around here somewhere, so, this is the diner, and over here is the supermarket. That has most of the food items you may need. If you want something that won’t rot after a long period of time, look for items that say “non-perishable.” Also, our food has best-by dates for when the food will likely go bad, so look for food with earlier dates if you want it to last longer. If you need clothes, there’s a thrift shop right here, and you can get clothes at a pretty decent price there.”

 

“Thank you so much…”

 

“Ruby, Ruby Lucas.”

 

“I’m Merida.”

 

“Merida, well, I’m glad I could help.”

 

Merida finished her coffee, and then went to those shops to get food and clothing.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

“I’m back,” Merida said. “I ran into both of my parents. My dad almost shot me and my mom and I talked about jewelry,”

 

“Merida!” Melanie exclaimed.

 

“They don’t suspect anything, don’t worry,” Merida said, Melanie sighed. “What did you get?”

 

“Chicken breasts, pork chops, ground beef, potatoes, carrots, squash, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, six loaves of bread in every flavor, they have potato bread, can you believe it? Two dozen eggs, butter, margarine, two flavors of jam, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, peaches, plums, and bananas. and eight gallons of water, which we can have refilled,” Merida pulled all the groceries from her small coin purse. “I got three burn phones, that way we can call each other and stuff. I also got us denim pants, undershirts, undergarments, shirts with buttons on the front, sweaters, cardigans, and a couple of dresses. I didn’t care if they fit, we can use magic to alter the sizes, I just took what looked nice.”

 

“Good idea,” Elizabeth nodded. “I can put the food in the special preservation shelves in the store cupboard and the clothes in the cabins.” Elizabeth disappeared.

 

“How was my mom?” Melanie asked.

 

“She misses your father,” Merida replied.

 

“Well, they were still in love then, weren’t they?” Melanie sighed. “Or, at least their relationship was still pretty functional.”

 

“Look, Mel, I know your home situation was never ideal, but, I don’t think being mopey is gonna help, much.”

 

“No, you’re right,” Melanie sighed.

 

“Maybe you should get some perspective. You knew them after all the bad stuff happened.”

  
“And then I’ll just pine for what I don’t have.” Melanie sighed. “Thanks for thinking of me, Merida, but, I’ll live.” 


	6. Pretty Little Liars

**Pretty Little Liars**

 

Emma, David, Hook and Regina were on their way back from the farmhouse where the Wicked Witch of the west was when they heard a noise. It sounded like a swordfight, with clicking and grunting. Quietly, they made their way to the part of the woods where the noise was coming from. Maybe it was another one of the demons that Zelena set after David, or Rumpelstiltskin. They peeked through the trees to a ledge, below it as a steep cliff. On the ledge were two identical young women. Both had blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, a black t-shirt, and denim jeans. Both held a rapier in their right hand, and both swords matched. They were fencing. It was actually a very interesting swordfight, the twins’ who matched were excellent at the blade. There were some slight differences, one of them had a completely stoic face, and didn’t seem to breathe. The other changed facial expressions, breathed and panted as one usually does with vigorous exercise, and grunted occasionally. The one with the facial expressions caught the stoic one’s sword with her own, circled her blade, and the stoic blonde was disarmed. The emotional blonde then plunged her sword into the chest of the emotionless blonde.

 

“Stop!” Emma yelled reactively. The one who was stabbed disappeared. She faded in a blast of white light. The one who stabbed the one who just disappeared looked at Emma, David, Killian and Regina with a look of utter panic. “What the- Who are you?”

 

The girl didn’t respond, and dived off the cliff face. Emma ran over to the ledge and looked to see the girl splash in the water and swim back to the cliff walls that were under the ledge. Emma stripped off her jacket, and her boots, and emptied her pockets. She threw off her hat, “Emma, what are you doing?” David asked.

 

“Figuring out what the hell just happened,” Emma replied, and she leapt off the cliff as well.

 

“Wait!” All three called, but she was gone.

 

Emma free fell off the cliff for a second before diving into the water, the water was icy against her flesh, salt water burned her sinuses, and where she hit the water, her flesh stung. she quickly resurfaced and looked up at what the mysterious blonde swam too. She was met with a pirate ship. She heard a splash behind her, to see Hook’s head pop up, he had his sword with him. He swam over to Emma. Then he looked up at the ship. “That is a mighty, vessel, Swan.” He said. “A Caravel, I believe.”

 

“How do we board it, and why did you follow me?”

 

“I followed you because the girl seemed to be a master at the blade and you, Swan, have no weaponry.”

 

“She also seemed to be pretty decent at magic, or maybe that was the same thing that David fought,” Emma replied.

 

“Regardless, if you want to board. I believe I may be of assistance,” Hook swam up to the boat and Emma followed. A stretch of rope that descended into the sea, the anchor, was nearby. Killian stuck his sword in his teeth and climbed up the rope. Emma followed. Both hauled themselves onto the deck, soaking wet. It seemed that Killian had shed his heavy leather jacket. but his shirt and leather pants still clung to his body, emphasizing every hard and soft line. Emma was not staring, she definitely wasn’t.  “I suggest you watch for splinters, love,” He said, motioning to her bare feet.

 

“I’ll be careful,” Emma sighed. They checked the deck, but it seemed empty, so Killian opened the door to the storage and quarters below. They were met with a narrow hallway. They crept down it, because they heard someone speaking at the end of the hall.

 

“They saw you?” A girl asked.

 

“They did,” Another girl, likely the blonde, replied.

 

“What do we do?” A third girl asked.

 

“Well, if Mary and I hide,” The first girl started.

 

“So I have to talk to them? You know I’m a terrible liar, especially to her.” The blonde hissed.

 

“Well, it’s not like they remember us,” The third girl, Mary, said nonchalantly

 

“Liz is a terrible liar anyway,” The first girl said.

 

“Thanks a lot, Mel,” Liz replied.

 

There were three girls, Liz, Mel, and Mary. Liz was the blonde that they saw, and Mel and Mary were unknown.

 

“Psst!” Regina whispered, she and David had made it down, not wet. “Is that where she is?”

 

“She’s not alone,” Emma said. “Her name is Liz, and she has two girls with her, They seemed to be named Mel and Mary.”

 

“Let’s go in and figure out what the hell happened.”

 

The four burst into the room they were in, clearly the Captain’s Quarters. All three girls were sitting around a table in the corner of the room.

 

“Freeze!” David shouted, he held Emma’s gun. Regina had fire in her hands. And Hook had his sword readied. All three girls put their hands in the air.

 

“Hi,” The blonde they saw said. “You found my ship.”

 

“You Captain this vessel?” Killian asked.

 

Liz nodded. “I do.”

 

“Wait,” David pointed to a red-haired girl, “I remember you from the woods.  You could smell Little John’s blood, and heard him moaning.”

 

“What happened to him?” Mary asked.

 

“He turned into a winged simian,” Hook replied.

 

“Poor thing,” Merida sighed.

 

“Look, we don’t want trouble.” The last one, Mel, said.

 

“Good, then tell us who you are and what you’re doing here, and we’ll be out of your hair,” Regina interjected.

 

“I’m Merida.”

 

“I’m Elizabeth.”

 

“I’m Melanie.”

 

“You have magic,” Emma said to Elizabeth.

 

“I do,” Elizabeth said.

 

“How?” Emma asked

 

“I’m a product of true love.” Elizabeth answered. “I was born with magic, and I learned to control it with positive emotions at a very young age.”

 

“What are you doing here?” Emma asked.

 

“We came over with the second curse,” Elizabeth said. “This is my ship, and, we live on it.”

 

“We heard you talking, Elizabeth, you recognized us. You knew who we were.” Emma said. “How do you know us, do you have your memories of the missing year?”

 

“Did we do something wrong?” Melanie asked. “I’m just wondering because you did trespass on private property. And I hope you have a reason.”

 

“The reason is that Elizabeth over here saw us, and then jumped off a cliff, that usually means that someone is hiding something.” Regina said.

 

“Are we not entitled to privacy?” Melanie replied.

 

“You are, but your behavior is suspicious, that is our reason,” Emma replied. “Now, tell us why you’re here.”

 

“Should we tell them the truth?” Elizabeth whispered.

 

“No, we’ll lie,” Merida replied sarcastically. “Look, we’ll tell Prince Charming over there, and then he can relay the message. But legally, he’s the cop, so he’s the only one we have to tell.”

 

“What if you do something to him magically?” Emma asked.

 

“If they perform any spell on him, I’ll be able to detect it,” Regina told Emma.

 

“Then it’s settled? You three will go above deck, and we will tell the Sheriff who we are and what we’re doing here. Deal?”

 

“Deal,” David nodded. Regina, Killian, and Emma went above deck, and David crossed his arms and looked expectantly at the three.

 

“Any questions you have, we’ll answer honestly.” Elizabeth promised.

 

“Where are you from?” David asked.

 

“We are all from the Enchanted Forest,” Melanie said. “Merida and I, however, were both born in Storybrooke.”

 

“But, you said you came over with the second curse only.”

 

“We did, we were babies when we left to the Enchanted Forest along with our family and the rest of the inhabitants when the Dark Curse ended.”

 

“That doesn’t make sense, we were only in the Enchanted Forest for a year. You look like more than a year old.”

 

“Merida and I are both nineteen, I was born a few weeks before her. Liz is the baby of our group, she’s seventeen, but she’ll turn eighteen December 25th.” Melanie said.

 

“How can you be nineteen if we were only there for a year?”

 

“You assume that we’re talking about things you’ve already experienced,” Elizabeth said. “But, we’re from a time you have yet to experience.”

 

“You’re from the future?” David asked.

 

“We are.”

 

“How many years?” David asked.

 

“Twenty years, we have proof,” Melanie said, she handed him a book, “Henry wrote it.” It was a leather bound book, taller than it was wide, very thick.

 

David turned to the table of contents, “Emma Swan, Thing You Love Most, Snow Falls, Price of Gold, That Still Small Voice, The Shepherd, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Desperate Souls, True North…” He stopped. “There are over a hundred chapters!”

 

“Yeah,” Elizabeth nodded. “If you were to read those chapters, you would have a recollection of the years in Storybrooke.”

 

“Henry wrote this?” David asked.

 

“He did.”

 

“And he gave it to you because…”

 

“So we didn’t mess up the past,” Melanie said. “Because we had to go into the past. You see, in twenty years, that’s where we’re from, there’s an evil necromancer who was plaguing the Enchanted Forest. The only way to stop him was to cast a spell on the entire Enchanted Forest before he was able to make the talismans of his necromancy, the talismans involve dead bodies. But we couldn’t cast a realm-wide enchantment, and we couldn’t do it to pre-existing talismans. Our only option was to go in the past. The Dark Curse that brought you here, we altered, with Elizabeth’s light magic, so the Dark Curse carried the enchantment that would disable the talismans in the future. Now we need to get back, without messing up the timestream too much.”

 

“Who are your parents?” David asked.

 

“Do you really want to know?” Merida asked. “I mean, we’ve told you this, because, well, we hoped that you would understand and not let us mess up the time stream.”

 

“I do understand,” David said. “But, what if I need to tell someone, some people are off limits, if they are your parents.”

 

“It’s actually a good idea,” Melanie agreed. “My mother is Belle and my father is Rumpelstiltskin.”

 

“My parental situation is a lot more… confusing.” Merida sighed. “I’m going to say very briefly what it is, and you will be super confused, but in like a week, it’ll make sense.”

 

“Lay it on me.”

 

“My mother, the Wicked Witch, got pregnant with Robin Hood, my father, to get revenge on Regina.”

 

David nodded, “Um, I guess I’ll have to see how that unfolds, and you?”

 

Elizabeth was smiling, “You’re gonna get so pissed,” She chuckled. “My mom is Emma Swan.”

 

“You’re my granddaughter?”

 

Elizabeth nodded. “And my father is Killian Jones.”

 

“Hook? Emma and Hook? I mean… like… is she happy with him?”

 

“I’m a product of true love,” Elizabeth said. “They are very happy together.”

 

“Well… that’s good… I guess.”

 

“Do you trust us?” Melanie asked.

 

“I do.” David said. “I’m a little shocked, honestly, it’s been a long day. I understood why you lied. And I won’t tell anybody.”

 

“Thank you,” Merida said.

 

David handed Melanie back the book. “But, I insist that you come help us. You have the book, you know what will happen, your presence may have a small effect, I consider it best if you interact with us to keep us on our path.”

 

The three nodded, “We’ll sail to the docks,” Elizabeth decided.

 

The four went onto the deck.

 

“So?” Emma asked, back in her jacket and boots.

 

“We can trust them,” David said.

 

“Why are they here?” Regina asked.

 

“The less people know, the safer we all are, including the three of you. I can’t tell you. But we can trust them, they’re here to help.”

 

“You can’t tell us why there here?” Emma asked. “David-”

 

“Emma, I know that you want to know but, uh, you are one of the people I definitely can’t tell. I’m sorry. It’ll make sense later, I promise.”

 

Emma sighed, “I don’t like people keeping things from me.”

 

“I’m sorry,” David said.

 

Elizabeth stood at the ship’s steering wheel and used magic to open the sails, draw up the anchor, and steer the ship out of the cove it was hidden in.

 

“You can man this vessel all by yourself?” Hook asked Elizabeth.

 

“I can man an entire fleet all by myself,” Elizabeth said. “Speaking from experience.”

 

She steered the ship into a port at the docks and dropped the anchor.

 

“Thank you for being honest,” David told the girls, they smiled. “I don’t know if I’ll get much sleep tonight, honestly.”

 

“They really dropped a bomb on you,” Emma realized.

 

“You have no idea,” David sighed.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

Par David’s request the three now were officially in the Storybrooke Crime Fighting Club. They showed up at Granny’s early, David, Snow, Regina and Hook were already present. Emma arrived moments later, “If you want privacy, talk fast, we open in twenty and no one gets between Leroy and his bacon,” Granny said.

 

“Is there any sign of our query?” Killian asked.

 

“I went all over that farmhouse, and the land around it, nothing,” Emma said.

 

“Well, now that the sun’s up, we should hit every place Gold might go. His house, his shop, his cabin.”

 

“Because dead men love vacation homes.” Emma sighed sarcastically. “Can someone explain to me how this is even possible?”

 

“You can revive the Dark One, but it takes human sacrifice,” Melanie said. “Rumpelstiltskin never died, his physical form was destroyed, but his soul still existed to harness the darkness of the Dark One. If the Rumpelstiltskin truly died, the darkness he controlled would manifest and find a new host. Or worse, manifest without a host.”

 

“When we went back to the Enchanted Forest, Neal spoke of the possibility of getting his father back,” Hook spoke up.

 

“So… if Rumpelstiltskin was really dead, the Darkness would have come out of him and attacked people?” Snow asked.

 

“Yeah,” Melanie nodded. “When you stab the Dark One with the dagger their darkness goes through the dagger, and into your soul. Since Rumpelstiltskin stabbed himself, his physical form was destroyed, but his soul still controlled the darkness, and returned to where the darkness originally manifested. Some sort of dark aether. With a human sacrifice, one can open a portal to the aether, and remanifest his physical form and his soul.”

 

“Neal may have done that. He missed his family. He was desperate to find a way back to this land and he believed finding his father was the key.” Hook admitted.

 

“Well, if that was his plan, then obviously something went wrong, because while Gold might be  alive and kicking, Neal is, he’s- we don’t know what he is. We don’t even know if he made it back to Storybrooke. No one’s seen him since this new curse.”

 

“He’s out there somewhere,” David assured her.

 

“I don’t know, he might have been the human sacrifice.” Regina said. “With all due, respect, we have bigger issues right now than who brought Gold back. The fact that he was in the Wicked Witch’s basement, for one. I want to know what the hell she was cooking up with him.”

 

“Well, the best way to find that out would be to ask Gold, right?” Snow asked.

 

“He could tell us where the witch is, maybe how to track her down?”

 

“I’m gonna head back to that farmhouse,” Regina said. “It’s possible this witch left behind some potion or a special ingredient.”

 

“Have at it, just be careful,” Emma told her.

 

“Well, she’s the one who needs to be careful,” Regina replied. “She invaded my space. When I return the favor, I am not pulling any punches.”

 

“We should tell Belle,” Snow said. “I mean, she deserves to know.”

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

“So… so Rumpel’s alive?” Belle asked. “I mean, how is that even possible?”

 

“She knows,” Emma pointed at Melanie. Belle looked at her.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“I’m Melanie,” Melanie said. “And I do know how Rumpelstiltskin may yet be alive. The dagger works as a wire, transferring the darkness from one soul to another, that’s why you need to stab the Dark One to become the Dark One. Since Rumpelstiltskin stabbed himself with the dagger, it destroyed his physical form, the darkness and it’s host, his soul, still were alive. They were banished to where the darkness came from, an aether. If he was truly dead, the darkness would have broken free and searched for a new host.”

 

“Like a parasite,” Belle nodded.

 

“Exactly,” Melanie said. “To retrieve a soul from this aether, you need a human sacrifice. Like in physics, matter cannot be created or destroyed? To transfer a soul from the aether, one must go to the aether, and without the darkness in the soul, their soul is quickly destroyed and they die.”

 

“So… for Rumpel to be alive, someone else must be dead.” Belle realized. “Where is he?”

 

“We were hoping you could tell us that,” Emma said. “You know him and this shop better than anyone. If he’s in Storybrooke there has to be a clue in here. About how we can find him, wherever he is.”

 

“Yeah, I’ll uh, start looking right away.”

 

“Keep your eyes out for him too, if he comes into town, he’ll-”

 

“Come to me, yeah I know,” Belle smiled solemnly.

 

“Melanie can help you look, she handles magical items a lot,” David said. “If you both are alright with that.”

 

“I could use an extra pair of eyes,” Belle nodded.

 

Melanie shrugged, “I’m alright with it.”

 

“I will stay here with you as well,” Hook said. “I’m surprisingly good at research.”

 

“You will stay with me?” Belle was incredulous.

 

“He’ll protect you if the witch comes,” Emma said.

 

“You do know he tried to kill me?” Belle reminded everyone.

 

“Well, there were extenuating circumstances,” Killian said.

 

“Twice,” She told him, looking at him challengingly.

 

“Sorry?” He offered.

 

“Oh come on,” Merida groaned, “Apologize like a man!”

 

Elizabeth and Melanie started giggling. Even Emma smiled.

 

“This will be my way of making it up to you,” Killian explained. “Hm?”

 

“Fine,” Belle sighed.

 

“All right, we should really get into the woods,” Emma said.

 

“Hey,” David told his wife, “Maybe you should stay home?”

 

“Me? I’m the best tracker here!” Snow exclaimed.

 

“I know but we’ll manage.” David said. “Remember what Zelena said. You need rest.”

 

“I’ll hang out with you,” Elizabeth offered. “I’m terrible at hunting, I talk too loud, I guess. I’m sure Dark One hunting needs even more stealth.”

 

Snow smiled, “I would like that.”

 

“Belle, thank you for your help,” Emma told her, “Don’t worry, we’re gonna find him.

 

“Okay, thank you,” Belle whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in a while. School started again and I have marching band and AP classes to deal with, so I'm a little busier than usual. But I have a few chapters already drafted, so hopefully the hiatuses in between chapters won't be so frightfully long.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Shortest Sibling Relationship**

 

“So… David said that you handle relics a lot.” Belle said.

 

“My mother owns a library, it’s more of a museum than a library. Alexandria would piss itself over the size of her library. Since I was ten, she and I would go from realm to realm collecting books, art, objects of magical and non-magical abilities.”

 

“I would love to meet your mother,” Belle said.

 

“I’m sure she would love to meet you,” Melanie replied, smiling to herself.

 

Belle walked over to the bookshelf and started pulling down books, handing them to Melanie. There was then a crashing.

 

“It’s him, it’s Rumple!” Belle exclaimed, Melanie set down the books, and Killian joined them to investigate.

 

Someone was trying to force open a door, they succeeded, and Neal fell forwards onto his face. Belle rushed over, “Neal? Neal?”

 

Melanie felt his neck, for a pulse. “He’s alive, his heartbeat is elevated, about 150 BPM, he must have ran here.”

 

“BPM?” Hook asked.

 

“Beats per minute,” Belle answered. “I’ll call Emma.”

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

“Neal, you’re here, what happened?” Emma asked.

 

“I… don’t know. I remember seeing the yellow bug cross the town line, and next thing I know I’m running around a forest back in Storybrooke, where, apparently, there’s been a whole lot going on.”

 

“Are you gonna tell him or shall I?” Hook asked Emma.

 

“Tell me what?” Neal asked.

 

“Neal,” David said. “We think your dad is back.”

 

“Back? I just watched him die, what do you mean he’s back?”

 

“Take it easy,” Emma said. Then she noticed a triangle burned into his palm. “What the hell is that?”

 

“No idea,” Neal sighed.

 

“Belle, can you do some more research?” Emma asked.

 

Belle nodded, “Yeah, sure, absolutely.”

 

“Okay, I’ll send you the picture,” Emma said.

 

“Hey guys can we, can we have a minute?” Neal asked.

 

“Yeah, of course,” David said. Melanie, Belle, Hook, and David all filed out as Emma spoke to Neal.

 

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

 

Elizabeth and Mary Margaret were in the loft, “David told me everything,” Mary Margaret said. “About you and Melanie and Merida all being from the future, and he also told me your parentage, that was a little weird, but, wow. I mean, you’re my granddaughter. I know I have Henry and all, but, right now I really don’t have Henry. It’s just nice to meet you. I want to ask you so many questions. I know I shouldn’t because of the whole time travel thing, but, god I am curious.”

 

“I don’t blame you, but my presence cannot and should not alter your behavior or the turn of events,” Elizabeth said. “That would be very bad.”

 

There was a knock on the door, “I can get it,” Elizabeth said. “You should sit down, nine months and all.”

 

Mary Margaret smiled and Elizabeth opened the door, it was Zelena with groceries.

 

“Hi,” She smiled.

 

“Hi,” Zelena smiled in reply. “I was told to bring groceries for Mrs. Nolan?”

 

“Come in!” Mary Margaret shouted from the couch.

 

“She’s just sitting down, I’m Elizabeth,” Elizabeth introduced herself.

 

“I’m Zelena,” Zelena smiled. Elizabeth stepped aside and let Zelena into the apartment.

 

“You got here fast,” Mary Margaret said, impressed.

 

“Well, I could hear a little panic in your voice, but, I am here to tell you, that there is no need to be anxious when you haven’t felt your baby move for a while,” Zelena said. “It doesn’t mean a thing.” She pulled out orange juice, “Here.”

 

“Orange juice?” Mary Margaret asked.

 

Zelena hummed in agreement, “Trust me. See, babies move less right before you go into labor, so it’s possible you’re closer to delivering than we think. Here.”

 

“Oh, maybe. Maybe that I’m just anxious, because of everything that’s been going on, with getting ready for the baby, I mean,”

 

“And the Wicked Witch,” Zelena added. “Everyone in town is talking about it,” She shrugged. “Have you found anything our more about her?”

 

“No,” Mary Margaret shook her head. “And I’m cooped up here while everyone else is out there working hard to find her.”

 

“Hey, hey,” Zelena smiled, she chuckled, “No one is working as hard as you are right now, I mean, you’re creating a whole new person. Now, drink up,”

 

Mary Margaret half the glass of orange juice, and seconds later, gasped, “Oh, wow.” The baby was kicking again.

 

Zelena set her hand on Mary Margaret’s stomach, “Works every time,” She said, smiling.

 

“You’re amazing!” Mary Margaret exclaimed.

 

“Your little Prince or Princess could be here any day, I am not letting you have this baby without me.”

 

“Zelena,” Elizabeth said. “Have you ever thought about having kids?”

 

“Well, that um, I can’t say I have but I’ve never been in a relationship that lasted long enough for me to think about things like that.” Zelena smiled.

 

“I need to use the bathroom, again,” Mary Margaret smiled. She waddled off.

 

“Good job at trying to get information about yourself,” Elizabeth said.

 

“So, you know who I am, but you haven’t told anyone?” Zelena asked.

 

“Well, I assume you recognize me from when I called you a bitch?”

 

“Who are you? Why did you put that crystal in the Dark Curse?”

 

“In the future, there’s a necromancer, real douchebag, to stop him we needed to cast a realm-wide enchantment but nothing was powerful enough to distribute it. Plus, we had to do it before he started using his talismans, which are made out of corpses. We decided we could use Dark Curse of the past, so we settled on that one.”

 

“How did you travel?”

 

“A magic hourglass, and we don’t have it, it only opens the portal, it can’t go through a portal. Don’t worry, we’re not going to mess up the timeline, what happens will happen, but I’m not going to tell you what will happen.”

 

“Don’t tell me how, just tell me if, do I get revenge on Regina?”

 

“Well, if I said, yes, you would assume your current trend of revenge will be successful, and if I say no, you will work even harder to keep this trend going. So it doesn’t matter what I say, you’ll still work to achieve your goal.”

 

“Exactly, so what have you to lose?”

 

“But, won’t knowing you succeed make the success not as sweet?” Elizabeth asked.

 

“I see your point,”

 

“I’ll tell you later, right now, you work on finding the Dark One, eh?” Elizabeth smiled.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

“Hi,” Melanie said to Neal. “I’m Melanie.”

 

“Neal, or Baelfire.”

 

“I know, I know who you are. I’m gonna tell you something, you can’t tell anyone. But, you see, I’m from the future. And the reason that I’m telling you this is, because, I wanted to meet you. You aren’t in the future. And I want to meet you because… because I heard about you all my life. You’re my brother. But, when I was born, you had died.”

 

“I don’t understand why you’re telling me this.”

 

“You’re going to die. You know it. You feel terrible, your body is sore, your head hurts, you swear you hear whispering. You have that mark on your hand because you tried to bring back your father, but to do that, a human sacrifice is required, you didn’t want anyone to die for your father to live, but you.”

 

“That is something I would do.”

 

“When together, between life and death, you’re both useless to fight the Wicked Witch. Emma can separate you with her magic. That's what you ended up doing.”

 

“Why then, tell me, if that’s inevitably what I do.”

 

“To give you some insight, any questions? About your family?”

 

“Emma, after I die, does she find somebody?”

 

“She does,” Melanie replied.

 

“Is it Hook?”

 

“It is.”

 

“Does he, does he treat her right in the future? Does he love her? Does she love him? Are they happy?”

 

“They’re happy, they love each other, she’s the moon and the stars to him, they have three kids.”

 

“And Henry, what happens to him?”

 

“He regains his memories, they all stay in Storybrooke, he becomes an author. He writes books.”

 

“And my- our father?”

 

“He will wed my mother, Belle, and they will have me.”

 

“Are they happy?”

 

“They have their moments,” Melanie nodded.

 

“Will I be remembered?”

 

“Yes, you’ll be remembered.”

 

“Thank you, Melanie.”

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

Emma and David were talking about her going back to New York, Merida lingered behind, “Stop, wait,” Merida exclaimed. “I hear moaning.” She ran over to where it came from and they followed. It was Rumpelstiltskin.

 

“Gold! You all right?” Emma asked.

 

“No, no, no, no, not all right. Not all right! It’s I can’t quiet the voices!” Rumpelstiltskin cried. Merida took out the burn-phone and called Melanie, “We got Gold, he’s hearing voices, I need help.”

 

“We know that you were held captive by the witch, do you know where she is?” Emma asked him.

 

“Because his soul is part way in between the aether and our world, he’s hearing souls, he’s hearing Neal, and he’s hearing himself.” Melanie said.

 

“Yeah… she’s… ah!” He gripped his head. “There’s no room! No room! There’s too many voices, too many voices.”

 

“We gotta get him out of here.” David said.

 

“Try echo communication,” Melanie said. Merida nodded. “Is the witch in the woods or somewhere else?”

 

“Somewhere else,” Rumpelstiltskin stuttered.

 

A monkey screeched, flying towards them, Merida reacted, and shot green mist out of her hands and towards the flying monkey, it fell, and one of the missing dwarfs was hit the ground. Rumpelstiltskin ran off in that moment.

 

“How did you do that?” Emma asked.

 

“Well, has anyone else tried to undo the monkey spell?” Merida asked. “No? Gold is getting away. Did anyone see which direction he went? No? Then let’s split up.”

 

And they did.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

After talking to Neal, Melanie went back to the shop with Belle. Killian soon came back, saying Neal had escaped to find his father. Melanie got off the phone with Merida, who just turned Dopey from monkey to dwarf.

 

“MELANIE! I found it.” Belle called. “Exactly what you said,”  Belle said, she opened the book, “The mark on his hand is of the vault of the Dark One, the aether you spoke of. His physical form was manifested at the cost of another life. The life of the one branded. But Neal is branded, and both he and Rumpel are alive, since you said your friend Merida found him.”

 

“But we know Neal was the sacrifice? Call Emma.”

 

Belle did, “Hi, Emma? Remember what Melanie said about a human sacrifice? The mark on Neal’s hand meant that he was the sacrifice.”

 

“Wait,” Emma said on the other line. “What?”

 

There was screaming on the other line.

 

“Soul melding,” Melanie pushed a book in front of Belle. “If Rumpelstiltskin absorbed Neal’s soul, and his physical form, then they would both be alive, souls suspended between life and death, explaining the fact that Merida said Rumpelstiltskin was hearing voices.”

 

“Neal is Rumpelstiltskin?” Belle asked.

 

“Two people, same body, same mind, like the Hulk,” Melanie nodded. “Or Jekyll and Hyde.”

 

“Emma!” Belle shouted into the form. “Neal and Rumpelstiltskin, they… melded.”

 

“Yeah, I know, Neal’s face is becoming his,” Emma said. Then she hung up.

 

“What would happen?”

 

“Either Neal dies, and Rumpelstiltskin lives, or they both die and the darkness has no physical form, and eats people,” Melanie said.

 

“So, either way, Neal is dead.” Belle nodded.

 

Melanie nodded, “I’m so sorry.”

 

“Neal is dead?” Hook asked.

 

“He’s a dead man walking,” Melanie replied.

 

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

 

Elizabeth and Snow were talking at the table, when Emma and David burst in, weapons drawn. “Emma, David, What’s going on?” Snow asked.

 

“Where’s Zelena?” Emma asked.

 

“In the bathroom, why?”

 

They both approached a door, and kicked them in, Snow gasped, holding onto Elizabeth.

 

“She had to know we were coming,” David said, in awe, as the room was empty. “Can you set up a protection spell?” He asked Elizabeth.

 

“I can,” Elizabeth agreed.

 

“Does anyone want to tell me what’s going on?” Snow asked.

 

“I’m just glad you’re safe,” David sighed.

 

“Of course I’m safe, why wouldn’t I be safe?” Snow asked.

 

“It’s Zelena.” David said.

 

“She’s the Wicked Witch,” Emma said.

 

“What, how do you know?” Snow asked.

 

“Gold told us, Neal brought him back before…” Emma trailed off, choking back tears.

 

“Before what, Emma? What happened?” Snow asked her daughter.

 

“Neal’s dead,” Emma said.

 

“Emma, I’m so sorry,” Snow sighed, hugging her,

 

Elizabeth let bright light expel from her hands, surrounding the loft, and a protective spell hardened itself into the walls. The protective spell glimmered like a rainbow around the walls and then faded, as if nothing was there.


End file.
